CARMEL — The Pacific Repertory Theatre has received a major financial donation, which essentially assures the completion of renovations on its Golden Bough Playhouse.

Local philanthropist and Carmel resident Bertie Bialek Elliott has donated $2.29 million to support the final phase of PacRep’s capital campaign, which goes to reinventing the classic playhouse in Carmel.

The announcement was made during a special reception Wednesday evening by PacRep founder and Executive Director Stephen Moorer.

“It’s a transformational gift for our capital campaign in that as Stephen has said, we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Jim Bennett, PacRep’s director of philanthropy, noting the nonprofit has been working to raise money for renovations since 2008 in hopes of finally reaching its financial goal.

While the overall cost of this second and final phase is $2.7 million, this latest donation by Bialek-Elliott, along with $200,000 that was already secured, ensures that PacRep will complete its remodel of the Golden Bough Theatre “from the street to the stage” well ahead of schedule.

Bennett said that it now allows the theater company to do the major work on the auditorium, administrative offices and inner lobby.

“The majority of which is for the comfort of our audience,” said Bennett about the renovations. “It’s just a remarkable gift for us.”

Bialek-Elliott, who was on hand for Wednesday’s announcement, has been highly supportive of PacRep in the past. She helped kick off the first phase of the theater production company’s capital campaign in 2008 with a gift of $500,000. Phase I focused on the 99-seat Circle Theatre, located in the rear of the playhouse. It also covered the revolving stages in the 300-seat Golden Bough Theatre as well as infrastructure needs.

This latest donation from Bialek-Elliott comes after other generous gifts from her to the Carmel Bach Festival and the Monterey Symphony. In September, she gifted the festival’s endowment fund with more than $2 million. That same month, she gave $2.4 million to the symphony’s endowment fund.

Prior to that in January, Bialek-Elliott donated $105.8 million to Montage Health, the parent company of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula — money that is to go toward treating child and adolescent behavioral health. Specifically, it will fund comprehensive outpatient services, community and school programs and a free-standing inpatient facility in Ryan Ranch.

Bialek-Elliott, the sister of business magnate and investor Warren Buffett, has a long history of volunteerism and philanthropic support, especially on the Monterey Peninsula and at her alma mater, Northwestern University.